


#6 All The World's A Stage, conclusion

by gpadow



Category: Gunsmoke, Matt/Kitty
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:49:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gpadow/pseuds/gpadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kitty kidnapped</p>
            </blockquote>





	#6 All The World's A Stage, conclusion

**Author's Note:**

> This story respectfully features characters and canon from the television series, Gunsmoke, which aired in 1955. They do not belong to me.

#6 All The World's a Stage, part II  
conclusion

Aug. 18th, 2009 at 5:14 AM

 

The trio sat at a table in the lounge of the hotel as a man with a handlebar mustache played classical music on the piano.

"This is the boarding house, Matt pointed to a map he held in front of Newly. They probably use this street to get to the theatre."

"Yes, sir. The stage manager said Terri usually goes back to her room even if she joins up with the others later."

Kitty ran her hand over the soft leather and thought I should get a couple of these chairs - they fit Matt nicely.  
Matt. She was still upset with him for leaving her behind when he and Newly went to the prearranged meeting that Byron Carrington had set up.

"Kitty, why don't you take your drink back to the room. We'll be along later," Matt said.

Too late.

"It's Terri with two r's and an i at the end. I use Teresa so that I will be taken seriously as an actress, but for friends I like the more familiar Terri."  
Matt and Newly brought the map up to hide their faces while Kitty leaned down to the floor to pick up the reticule that slipped from her lap, as Teresa Rooney London O'Brien and a companion walked past and took seats at a table near the piano.

Kitty motioned to a man who came to their table and asked, "Would you like another round of drinks, Madam?"

"Do you know the name of that gentleman?" she whispered.

"That would be Mr. John Hellman of the law firm of Williams, Hellman and Peel."

"Thank you. Yes, please bring us another round of brandy to that table over there," Kitty said, indicating a table near the wall behind a grouping of plants.

The two men followed her to the darker area of the lounge and arranged their chairs to not be seen clearly from the other side of the room.

The waiter placed their drinks and presented the bill for Kitty to sign.

Matt held his temper, but barely.  
I should have gone to Sheriff Hicks's office as soon as we got off the stage.  
Instead I checked into a fancy hotel and ate a fancy dinner.  
I had sent a wire informing the sheriff there may be a robbery attempt by someone from the theatrical troupe, but I didn't give him the courtesy of filling him in when I arrived.  
I've got to get through to Kitty that this isn't play-acting.

"Kitty, go upstairs now. Newly and I will handle this," Matt commanded.

"If you two try to pick Terri up, that attorney will stop you so he can show off for her, Kitty said. You need to get the sheriff to do it."

Matt hated to admit that she was right, but turned to his deputy and said, "Go bring the sheriff, and I'll keep an eye on Terri."

"Will do, Marshal." Newly made sure Terri couldn't see him then hurried out of the hotel.  
He had gone a short distance when he heard someone say, "Good evening, Sheriff."

Kitty smiled at Matt, but quickly changed her expression when he reached over to firmly take hold of her arm and ordered, "Go up to the room."

The stubborn redhead took a sip of her brandy and did not attempt to move from her seat.

Matt couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop playing the bitch and do as I tell you," he seethed.

Time seemed to stand still as Kitty forgot to breathe.  
What was happening?

They almost didn't notice Terri and John Hellman walk past. The two walked through the lobby just as the sheriff entered the hotel, followed by Newly O'Brien.

The young woman stopped in her tracks.

"Newly!"

"Hello, Terri."

Matt and Kitty came into the lobby to join the group.

"Tom," Matt nodded to the law officer.

"Hi, Matt. Why didn't you let me know you were here?"

"Marshal Dillon, Miss Kitty, what are you all doing here?" Terri turned to look into Newly's sad face and just said softly, "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"Let's go back to my office and have a little chat, shall we," said Sheriff Hicks.

The two lawmen put Terri between them as Newly followed. Hellman joined them, advising the young woman not to say anything.

Without looking back at her, Matt said, "See you later, Kitty."

The beautiful redhead looked at first angry, then hurt, as she pulled up the hem of her skirt and ran up the stairs.

Patrick Rooney put down his newspaper and rose from the wing chair in the lobby to follow her.

 

###

"My father threatened me not to come back to Kansas, but I had this opportunity to join the Lord Company. I told him after Dodge City that I wouldn't help him again. That was the only time I ever did something like that, I swear."

Terri wiped the tears from her eyes and took a sip of coffee.

Matt gently said, "Terri, where is your father now, and what did he do with the stolen money?"

"He was still in Chicago when I left, but I'm afraid he might come after me. The money is in a bank there if he hasn't gambled it away."

 

###

A tired Dodge City US Marshal and his deputy stopped in the hall outside their adjoining rooms. Matt's leg was hurting, and he could see the strain on Newly's face. He really cares for that girl.

"Try to get some rest, Newly."

"You too, Marshal."

Matt knew immediately that something was wrong.  
"Kitty?"  
The bed wasn't slept in, and a chair was turned over on its side. He banged his fist on the connecting door to Newly's suite. When it opened, he said, "Kitty's gone."

 

###

"No doubt at all that these belong to Miss Russell, Matt?" Tom Hicks asked.

Matt just shook his head and re-read the note that was left at the sheriff's office with Kitty's hairpins and ring. Turn Terri loose by noon if you want to see the woman alive.  
The morning light streaming into the sheriff's office hurt Matt's eyes, and he wondered if Kitty was frightened and injured, not knowing if anyone was looking for her.

"Terri, you know where your father has taken Miss Kitty, don't you? Is he capable of murder? Newly asked, then added,  
And no acting this time, I need you to tell me the truth."

"It may be the theatre or the old opera house, I don't know which."

"Newly, I sure don't want anything to happen to Miss Kitty, but he can be real mean.  
I know he came here to teach me a lesson. I'm afraid to go back to him, Newly. Please don't make me."

The deputy wanted to put his arms around Terri and comfort her, but he couldn't be sure she wasn't acting.

"Well, it looks like Rooney withdrew the money before he left Chicago, Matt. Sheriff Hicks handed Matt the telegram he just received. Do you think O'Brien can get through to her?"

"She may not know what that father of hers has done with Kitty, but it seems she would know where he'd be waiting for her," Matt deducted.

"That would be the theatre or the old opera house, Marshal, Newly said. Terri said she'd guess the opera house because the Lord Company is still using the theatre."

"Tom, Is there a way we could follow Terri to the opera house and not be seen by Rooney?"  
Matt didn't trust the girl, but she was all they had.

"I could have some men appear to be working on the church across the street. They started to rebuild it after a fire, but no one is there now."

Matt took charge. "Have a wagon ready with building supplies. You and I can stay hidden in it while your men start working on the church.  
After an hour or so, Newly can walk Terri right down the middle of the street to get his attention."

"Might work, Matt, but he must have a plan to get away from there."

 

###

"Hold it right there, O'Brien!  
Terri, go in through the stage door. And you better be ALONE, or this woman gets it!"

Kitty is in there, Matt thought. She better be all right.

He tried not to be distracted by thoughts of how badly they had left things between them.

Terri looked up at Newly and slowly walked to the side of the old opera house. He could see she was shaking.  
The door was slightly ajar, and she went in, then stopped to let her eyes adjust to the darkness.  
She thought she saw shadows move past the window on the other side of the big building.

"Up here!" The gravel voice of Patrick Rooney gave her a chill as she felt her way to the circular stairs leading above the stage.

"What did you tell them?" he barked when she stood before him.

"Just that I didn't want to do another job after Dodge and I ran away to work in the Lord Company. I also told them you put the money in a Chicago bank."

She hung her head and then looked up at Rooney and smiled.  
"It's good to see you. How do you plan for us to get away from here?"

Rooney snarled, "There are three good horses behind the opera house and two train tickets from Hayes to .. Never mind about that."

"Three horses?"

"You don't expect me turn that woman loose now, do you?"

"But Newly is waiting outside to bring her back to the marshal and the sheriff."

"We need her to be a shield until we get a few days ride from here and can be sure no one's following us. Get her up!"

Rooney stepped aside to pick up the bulging saddlebags, and Terri saw the battered figure of Kitty Russell tied and gagged.

"Oh, Kitty!" Terri cried as she ran to the beaten woman and started to untie her.

"Get her up, I said. And leave that gag on her."

He turned his face to Kitty and menacingly hissed, "No funny business from you or I'll tie you over the saddle."

 

###

Newly stood in the alley outside the stage door and watched as Terri helped Kitty walk into the daylight. Kitty's hair was down, and she held one hand over her eyes to block the bright sun, while trying to loosen the dirty gag tied over her mouth.

The deputy noticed Kitty's dress was torn and one hand appeared to be very swollen. She was a bit unsteady, but able to walk.

Patrick Rooney came out behind them, the saddlebags over his shoulder, holding a gun on Kitty. He had another pistol in his belt.

"That's far enough, O'Brien."

"You have Terri back, now let Miss Russell go," Newly said. He kept his eyes on the man but was aware of the shadows at the end of the alley.

"Now that wouldn't be very smart would it?  
You go back and tell that marshal I'm taking his woman with me for insurance. No posse or telegrams to the law, or he'll never see her alive."

"You could have hid out in Chicago or taken the money and made a run for it. Why did you come back here?" Newly asked.

He wanted to give Matt and Hicks a chance to get the drop on Rooney, but he also wanted to know the answer to that question.

"You're pretty sweet on my little girl, aren't you deputy?"

"Don't! Terri pleaded. Let's just get out of here."

"How old do you reckon she is? Old enough to be my daughter, or old enough to be my wife?"

Rooney grabbed Kitty by the throat and dragged her backwards through the alley while holding a gun on her.

Newly looked from Kitty to Terri still trying to let Rooney's words sink in.  
She can't be, he thought. She just can't be the man's wife.

"Unhitch the horses, Teresa."

The actress turned to find Matt Dillon and Tom Hicks standing with guns drawn in front of the horses.  
She nodded to them, pulled on Kitty's arm and said, "I'll get her mounted."

The moment Kitty was free of the man's grasp, Matt called out, "Drop the gun, Rooney!"

Patrick Rooney turned and fired in Kitty's direction.  
Matt and Hicks each fired into the man's chest. Hicks ran to his body as Matt ran to Kitty's.  
She was lying on the ground next to Teresa Rooney.

"Kitty!" Matt ignored the pain in his leg as he fell to the ground next to Kitty and lifted her into his arms. She looked up at him as tears streamed down her bruised face.  
Matt held her tightly and rocked her in his arms.

"Is she dead, son?" Matt heard Tom Hicks ask.

When he looked up, he saw Newly holding the lifeless body of Terri as in Teresa.

 

###

Matt and Kitty sat silently on the bed as he brushed her freshly washed hair. Through her sheer negligee he could see the bruises, and he so wanted to tenderly kiss and caress her body all over.

"Should we check on Newly?" Kitty quietly asked.

"He said he wanted to be alone, Matt replied.  
He is still dealing with the shock of finding out Terri was Patrick Rooney's wife."

"Are you sure you're OK, honey?" Matt asked.

Kitty nodded.  
He didn't call her that very often, and it sounded nice. She turned to him and smiled.

Her smile did him in, and Matt's blue eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, Matt.  
I'm so sorry, Cowboy. Please forgive me for being such a stupid, foolish woman."

"Kitty, I shouldn't never have treated you that way. I can't believe I spoke to you like that. It will never happen again. Please forgive me."

Matt buried his face in her breasts and held her tightly.  
Kitty ignored the pain from her bruises and ran her hands through his hair.  
Kissing his ear, she whispered, "You were right. I acted like a spoiled bitch."

Suddenly, Kitty got the giggles. Matt picked his head up and grinned at her. He recognized her laughter as a way she sometimes dealt with stress, and the sound of it warmed his heart.

They fell back on the bed, giggling and kissing, tickling and caressing each other.

"I guess we've had just about enough drama for a while, Cowboy."

"As long as you're still my leading lady, Kathleen."

"Always."

The End


End file.
